Templeton Ideas Podcast

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  Christof Koch (Cosmic Intelligence) 04.06.2026 33min

  Christof Koch is a neuroscientist at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and the Chief Scientist of the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation. As a professor for 25 years at Cal Tech, he pioneered research on the neural basis of consciousness, and he has advanced one of the leading theories of consciousness called Integrated Information Theory. Among his many publications, Christof's most recent book is entitled Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It. In our mini-series on the nature of intelligence, we have talked with Simon Conway Morris about the evolution of intelligence, with Susan Schneider about the rise of artificial intelligence, and with Laszlo Barabasi about the structure of collective intelligence. Check our Templeton Ideas podcast feed to listen to these episodes. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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  Albert-László Barabási (Collective Intelligence) 21.05.2026 37min

  Albert-László Barabási is a professor of network science and physics at Northeastern University. He has pioneered the study of complex networks, discovering that most systems are not randomly structured, but contain highly connected hubs. He has authored popular books such as Linked: The New Science of Networks; Bursts: The Hidden Pattern Behind Everything We Do; and most recently, The Science of Science. In our mini-series on the nature of intelligence, we have talked with Simon Conway Morris about the biological evolution of intelligence, and with Susan Schneider about the rapid pace of artificial intelligence. In our next episode, we'll talk to Christof Koch about the nature of consciousness, which is probably the biggest mystery in the universe. Check our Templeton Ideas podcast feed to listen to these episodes. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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  Susan Schneider (Artificial Intelligence) 07.05.2026 37min

  Susan Schneider is a philosophy professor at Florida Atlantic University, and the founding director of the Center for the Future of AI, Mind, & Society. She has also worked at NASA as the chair of Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation. Susan's book, Artificial You: AI and the Future of Your Mind, explores whether advanced AI systems could become conscious, and how we might design ways to test whether they truly are. In our mini-series on the nature of intelligence, we have talked with Simon Conway Morris about how intelligence naturally arose from billions of years of evolution. In upcoming episodes, we will also talk with Lazslo Barabasi and Christof Koch about the nature of consciousness, and how networks of individuals can produce collective intelligence that vastly exceeds the sum of its parts. Check our Templeton Ideas feed for new episodes. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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  Simon Conway Morris (Convergent Intelligence) 23.04.2026 36min

  Simon Conway Morris is a paleontologist at the University of Cambridge. His research has illuminated the history of convergent evolution–the recurrence of similar biological features such as vision, wings, and even intelligence across vastly different evolutionary lineages. Through his popular books Life's Solution, The Runes of Evolution, and From Extra-terrestrials to Animal Minds, he makes the case that convergence is not merely a series of curious coincidences, but evidence of a deeper order to biology.  Simon is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was just announced the winner of the 2026 Templeton Prize, a $1.4M dollar award for those who harness the power of the sciences to explore the deepest and most perplexing questions facing humankind. Watch the Templeton Prize video, which explains Simon's ideas, his biography, and the interesting parallels between cockroaches and dogs. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Shannon Vallor (Artificial Intelligence) | From the Archive 09.04.2026 31min

  Dr. Shannon Vallor is a professor at the University of Edinburgh, where she serves as chair of the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. Her research explores how new technologies, especially AI, robotics, and data science, reshape human character, habits, and practices. She also advises policymakers and industry on the ethical design and use of AI. Her latest book, The AI Mirror: Reclaiming Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking, argues that AI can be a tool to enhance our humanity, not replace it. Shannon joins the podcast to discuss artificial intelligence, both what it is and what it could be if we step back and rethink what technology is for.  Are you curious about artificial intelligence? Don't miss out on our story "Predicting and Controlling Bad Actor Artificial Intelligence" by Alene Dawson on Templeton Ideas. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Philip Goff (Consciousness) | From the Archive 26.03.2026 22min

  Dr. Philip Goff is an associate professor of philosophy at Durham University, who researches philosophy of mind and consciousness with a specific focus on how to integrate consciousness into a scientific worldview. His popular book, Galileo's Error, posits the theory of panpsychism as a plausible explanation for human consciousness. Philip joins the podcast to discuss his lifelong struggle with the problem of consciousness, the relationship between panpsychism and physics, and why he believes there is good philosophical reason to be optimistic about the future of our world. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Jennifer Wallace (Mattering) 12.03.2026 30min

  Jennifer is an accomplished journalist and a best-selling author. Jennifer's first book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic, sounded the alarm about a troubling trend in our society. She has followed up with a new book entitled Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, which offers an alternative to precarious, achievement-based identities, and shows how to construct more meaningful lives. Jennifer joins the podcast today to discuss the concept of "mattering" and our core human needs. Do you feel exhausted by the hyper-competitive nature of our society? Job applications, college admissions, extracurriculars, even enrolling children in the right summer camp? If you haven't heard it yet, check out our first Templeton Ideas episode with Jennifer Wallace on Breaking the Cycle of Toxic Achievement Culture.  Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Chris Duffy (Humor) 26.02.2026 34min

  Chris Duffy is an award-winning comedian, writer, and podcast host. He currently hosts the TED program How to Be a Better Human and gave a popular TED talk entitled, "How to Find Laughter Anywhere." Chris recently expanded his comedic repertoire by publishing a new book called Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy. Chris is also a former fifth-grade teacher and a former fifth-grade student.  Humor can be a good way of diffusing the tension around discerning who is right and who is wrong. Instead of furrowing our brows, sometimes it helps to step back and laugh about a situation, especially if we've made an error. To find out more, we invite you to watch the video The Joy of Being Wrong. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Anil Seth (Consciousness) | From The Archive 12.02.2026 36min

  Dr. Seth is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. The author of over 200 research papers, Anil integrates psychology, philosophy, computer science, and neuroscience to explore how our brains generate subjective experiences. Outside the laboratory, Anil has a knack for communication, too. His TED Talk has reached nearly 15 million viewers, and his bestselling book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness takes a baffling topic and makes it relatable and engaging for general readers. Anil joins the podcast to explain why animals may be conscious, but artificial intelligence is not, and why, despite the potential for technological dystopias, he is optimistic about the future. Are you curious about consciousness? Don't miss out on our intriguing story "Can Digital Computers Ever Achieve Consciousness?" by Marcus Arvan on Templeton Ideas. What did you think of this episode? Let us know with a rating and a review! Join the conversation on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. 
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  Angela Duckworth (Character Formation) 29.01.2026 32min

  Angela Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studies human character traits that lead to high achievement. She authored the bestselling book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, and her related TED Talk has been viewed over 37 million times. In 2013, Angela received the coveted MacArthur Genius Award. She is also the co-founder of Character Lab, an organization that advanced scientific insights to help children thrive for over a decade. Angela joins the podcast to discuss forming character through the heart, mind, and will.  Grit is a virtue that helps us get things done and reach high achievements. But of the many different things that we could tenaciously pursue, what should we prioritize, and how do our individual goals fit into a bigger picture?  To find out more, check out our Templeton Ideas essay, Hope and Grit: Companions on the Road to Change by journalist Annelise Jolley. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Michael McCullough (Forgiveness) 15.01.2026 33min

  Michael McCullough is a psychology professor at UC San Diego who explores the ways our evolutionary past illuminates how humans today think, feel, and behave. For 25 years, he has pioneered experimental work on forgiveness, gratitude, empathy, religion, and morality. With the support from the Templeton philanthropies, he directs an international effort to better understand the role of gratitude in many different cultures. Among his many publications, Mike has authored the book The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented a New Moral Code, as well as Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct. Mike joins the podcast to discuss forgiveness, revenge, and our evolutionary and cultural tendencies toward each.  In the aftermath of apartheid in South Africa, it's hard to imagine how they could rebuild the fabric of their society–and yet they've done so through an arduous process of truth and reconciliation. To learn more, check out the Templeton Ideas essay Beyond Forgiveness: The Reparative Quest in South Africa, featuring Templeton Prize winner Pumla Godobo-Madikizela. Join our growing community of 140,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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  Olga Khazan (Enhancing Personality) | From the Archive 01.01.2026 32min

  Olga Khazan is an author and staff writer at The Atlantic, where she publishes stories on health, social science, psychology, and other thought-provoking topics. In 2020, she published her first book, Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World, which draws on her experiences as both an immigrant and a natural introvert. Olga's latest book, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change, chronicles her year-long personal experiment to reshape her personality. Olga joins the podcast to discuss how she intentionally became more extroverted and how becoming a parent can change our personalities.  Does being a parent make you miserable, happy, or is that the wrong question entirely? Explore these ideas, and more, in an essay by psychologist Kendra Thomas entitled "Parenting is About Hope, Not Happiness." Join our growing community of 140,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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  Jason Marsh (Intellectual Humility) 18.12.2025 29min

  Jason Marsh is the executive director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC-Berkeley. Greater Good is committed to sharing science-based insights with educators, parents, and other professionals to foster meaningful lives and a thriving society. In recent years, Greater Good has received grants from the John Templeton Foundation to engage and promote virtues such as intellectual humility and love. He joins the podcast to discuss their research and how your life can be improved by practicing intellectual humility.  At their best, holidays fill us with hope, wonder, generosity, love, and joy. But what is joy, really, and can we experience it even when life is turbulent and tough going? To learn more, check out Alene Dawson's Templeton Ideas essay Unwrapping the Science of Joy. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.    
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  Colin Allen (Animal Emotion) 04.12.2025 31min

  Colin Allen is a professor of philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he specializes in cognitive science, particularly animal cognition and artificial intelligence. Among his many publications, Colin has authored books such as Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right From Wrong. In his efforts to study diverse intelligences, Colin received Templeton funding for a project called "Joyful by Nature," which explores the evolution and function of joy in various animals. Colin joins the podcast to discuss the research behind animal emotion and behavior.  When it comes to animal emotions, no person stands out more than the naturalist Jane Goodall; Jane dedicated her life to studying the lives of primates and advocating for their dignity. To learn more about how Jane saw the world and our place in it, we invite you to watch a short video in honor of her winning the Templeton Prize. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Vera Gluscevic (Dark Matter) 20.11.2025 33min

  Vera is a professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southern California. As a cosmologist, she studies the entire universe as a physical system. In doing so, she explores the nature of dark matter, dark energy, and the birth of the universe. Vera is the project leader of a new $4M grant from the John Templeton Foundation that will bring together astrophysicists, computer scientists, artists, and philosophers in a new research hub to explore the nature of dark matter and the early universe. She joins the podcast to discuss dark matter, collaboration among scientists, observatories, and more.  What are the strangest objects in the universe? It's almost certainly black holes, objects that are so powerful that even light cannot escape them.  To learn more, check out our podcast episode with Shep Doelman, whose team produced the first-ever images of a black hole. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.
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  Timothy Dalrymple (Leadership) 06.11.2025 29min

  Timothy Dalrymple is the new president of the John Templeton Foundation. Before assuming this role, he served as CEO of Christianity Today. Tim has led several innovative media ventures and worked closely with writers, scholars, and philanthropists to elevate ideas that enrich public life. A former national champion gymnast turned philosopher of religion, he holds degrees from Stanford, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Harvard, where his doctoral work focused on the nature of suffering and religious knowledge. He joins to podcast to discuss his history, transition to the role as president, and hopes for the future.  What inspires you to travel? Could you design a journey around the experience of awe? To learn more, we invite you to read Alene Dawson's Templeton Ideas essay, The Awe-Seeker's Guide to Travel. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. 
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  David Goyer (Heroes) | From the Archive 23.10.2025 28min

  David Goyer is a screenwriter, director, and producer best known for his role in films like Blade, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight trilogy, in which he redefined superhero storytelling. Goyer has also brought Isaac Asimov's iconic Foundation novels to television and introduced science-infused, thought-provoking narratives to the big screen. With decades of experience in Hollywood, he continues to push the boundaries of storytelling. Goyer joins the podcast to discuss the fine line between being a hero and being a villain.  At a recent event in Los Angeles called "A Night of Awe & Wonder," David spoke about his origin story and how awe invites us to "look for connections in the most unlikely places." Read about the event here. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. 
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  Kelly Corrigan (Family) 09.10.2025 32min

  Kelly is the author of four New York Times bestselling memoirs, including Glitter and Glue, Lift, and The Middle Place, which take ordinary events and relationships and make them come alive in funny, memorable prose. Kelly hosts the podcast "Kelly Corrigan Wonders," and the PBS television show "Tell Me More", which have received grants from the John Templeton Foundation. She has also given a popular TED talk entitled "To Love is to Be Brave". Most recently, she co-authored a children's book with her daughter Claire called Marianne the Maker. She joins the podcast to discuss faith, family, and staying open to wonder.  How does caregiving contribute to a meaningful life? Listen to a Templeton Ideas episode with Dr. Alison Gopnik, who discusses the flaws in our popular understanding of children and babies, the connection between children and awe. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. 
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  Kwame Appiah (Animism) 25.09.2025 24min

  Kwame Appiah is a professor of philosophy and law at New York University. Over his long career he has written about topics including political philosophy, ethics, literature, African and African-American studies. As the author of more than 20 books, his notable works include Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers and The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen. His newest book, and the subject of our conversation today, is entitled Captive Gods: Religion and the Rise of Social Science. Kwame was also recently featured in an episode of Wisdom Keepers, a PBS show exploring life's fundamental questions. How do we express our religious commitments? Some may say faith, but this article proposes another idea. Learn what role hope plays in belief by reading Religious Commitment: A Hopeful Approach by Daniel Speak.   Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. 
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  Miroslav Volf (Ambition) 11.09.2025 33min

  Miroslav Volf is a theology professor and director of the Center for Faith and Culture at Yale University. His writing and teaching explore how Christian theology relates to culture, politics, and world religions. He has written and edited more than 20 books, including Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most. His newest book, which we will be discussing, is entitled The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse. He joins the podcast to discuss how striving for excellence is better than superiority.  Want to learn more about striving? Listen to our insightful episode with Jennifer Wallace on "toxic achievement culture" from Season 2.  Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.